Seasonal Feeling
by Owaranai Destiny
Summary: A new season for a fresh school year...What could be any more different for Harima Kenji and his feelings for Tsukamoto Tenma? Plenty. First attempt at humor fiction, rated T for safety, sample chapter.
1. Chapter 1

First SR fiction…Just something which I thought I would try out and see how it goes. Criticisms and meaningful flames are most welcomed, of course. Just to make sure, though…This is a sample chapter, and might be subjected to minor changes.

Due to the fact that Ni Gakki has ended only after I was halfway through my fiction, there might be a few discrepancies, but I'll gladly correct them in a second chapter if this one seems satisfactory.

Oh, one more thing: This is one of my first attempts at writing a piece with humor as a main theme, so don't expect so much out of that department...Yet.

On with the story.

**Seasonal Feeling**

**Chapter 1**

The wind gently caressed her cheek, teasing the few locks of hair that hung loosely by the side of her face's profile.

Spring... It was a season for the new to be ushered in, for trees and flowers to bloom after the blanket of white cold returned to where it originated, for-

'Yakumo-kunnnn!'

For love…Which was, of course, the last thing Tsukamoto Yakumo wanted on her mind, especially ever since the day she could listen to the inner throes of those who had those kind of feelings for her. It did not seem as useful as she thought it to be, considering how the thoughts of the boys fill her mind whenever they make an indirect pass at her or simply just as much throw a glance in her direction.

Hanai Haruki, of course, was an exception. He would simply state whatever was in his mind most of the time. It was strange, different in a sense, but that made her feel no more comfortable than with those who professed to like her.

She panicked as the thought seem to come closer, and looked around. Her best friend Sara Adiemus was nowhere in sight, unfortunately. She looked to the left and made her way there as quickly as she could; hiding behind one of the school walls, silently praying that somehow Hanai would be unable to 'sniff' her out this time round.

Somehow or the other, either Hanai Haruki was simply engulfed by his professed love for the younger of the Tsukamoto sisters, or her prayer worked. A sound very much like a herd of elephants trampling by was heard, and soon faded into the distance. She heaved a tiny sigh of relief. It was tiring enough to be able to hear the thoughts of all other boys, and Hanai-senpai's was a little too much to bear sometimes.

All but one.

Somehow, she felt drawn to him, thanks to the fact that he seemed like a silent Buddha statue, revealing nothing of his inner world to her. It was as though he had literally no feelings towards her at all. There had been a few interesting experiences with him-Like when they had to protect the animals from the media. It did not turn out as expected, but she did get to see a softer, a more compassionate side of him-

"Yo, Imouto-san."

She almost jumped at the sound of his voice. There was only one person who would call her in that manner. She turned around to greet him. "Harima-san. Good morning."

"Ah, good morning to you too. By the way, what are you doing? The front entrance's just there." Harima Kenji, seventeen years of age with an attitude and a pair of shades to boot gestured simply to the entrance. He had been infamous for his antics on the streets and his ways of communicating with other people using his fists and could be considered the most famous delinquent in all of Yagami, yet here he was, talking to a girl as though it was an everyday occurrence despite his lack of experience with them.

"Ah…Ano…" She hesitated, knowing that telling him would not really make that much of a difference, anyway.

But the puzzled yet slightly impatient face was not helping her to keep mum.

"…I-I don't feel like going in there yet…"

"Is there something or someone troubling you?"

Yakumo merely nodded, deciding that further explanations would serve little purpose, anyway.

'Hmm…If I help to escort Imouto-san past those bastards who make her feel uncomfortable, she's sure to tell Tenma-chan, and that would make her impression of me even better!' Harima grinned, a dreamy expression overcoming the stern one earlier on.

"Ano…Harima-senpai?"

"Ah! Sorry about that. Well, leave it up to me! I'll escort you to your classroom. That way, there won't be anyone trying to bother you. I'll kill anyone who does so!" He clenched his fist in righteous determination, his spirit burning with anticipation of how Tsukamoto Tenma would look at him once she knew about it: A gentleman, or perhaps a knight, riding to the rescue of a damsel in distress? It seemed so perfect.

The current year two high school girl, however, felt an ever so slight pause in her heartbeat, though it passed quickly. Despite what he had said, she still felt no answers forming in his head. Was it really just her imagination at that time where they acted out one of those scenes together in the dark approximately a year ago?

She shook her head and nodded slightly, accepting his suggestion, secretly glad that there was at least someone who could accompany her across the hallways, which had somehow become a strange place without her really noticing when the change took place.

They entered, side by side, like a pair of comrades-in-arms entering a rowdy bar in an old Western movie (or at least, Harima made it feel that way, what with his stature and his bag held over one shoulder). Dozens of eyes were upon them as soon as they stepped in as the chattering ceased. Harima strode in without a care in the world, while Yakumo followed his lead hesitantly.

It did not come off as a surprise that everyone tried to avoid the infamous delinquent as much as they could, as he strode towards his own shoe locker and quietly put them on, sending an occasional glare to those who dared to send as much as a sideward glance at them.

It was strange, but Yakumo felt comfortable by his side. It might have been the sudden disappearance of a few stray thoughts from the boys, or simply the fact that he was the first boy she had ever interacted with well. No matter what it is, there was no denying that he was one of the very few male friends she had.

"Are you ready?" His voice came into her thoughts like a bolt of thunder, jolting her back from her mental world. She nodded and quickly closed her shoe locker, indicating that she was.

"Let's go then." Without as much a backward glance to her or to anyone else, Harima slung his bag over his shoulder and continued walking towards 2-C. There was no absence of curious onlookers, but either he cared less or simply did not know. He had just one thing in mind: To escort Imouto-san as much as he could so that he could make a good impression to his Tenma-chan.

Little did he realize that he would be running headlong into trouble...

Trouble, also known as Sawachika Eri, commonly known as Ojou to him.

Harima Kenji had to admit, though, that the past two terms did not exactly had him seeing eye to eye with her, but at the very least, he felt that Ojou was not all that bad as she first appeared to him.

But still, he felt an impulse to hide from or avoid her as soon as he saw the two blonde pigtails. Even if she had not been as bad as he thought her to be, he knew the scent of trouble swimming around her well enough to stay away.

"Ne, Imouto-san…"

"Yes?"

He scratched his head. There was no way he wanted to look like a weakling to the sister of Tenma-chan, but neither did he want Ojou to meet up-

'Oh, crap! Why didn't I think of it? Ojou's always with Tenma-chan, and if she sees me walking together with Imouto-san, she might misinterpret it and tell Tenma-chan about it! To hell with my pride, I'll just hide.'

"Imouto-san, can we take the left turn instead?"

"Eh?" She looked at him in surprise. "But the classroom's just down the hallway…A-Ano, if you need to leave, its okay with me…"

"Ahh…That's not what I mean, Imouto-san. It's just that-"

"Hige? What the heck are you doing?"

Too late.

"O-Ojou." He turned to give her a nervous smile. "This isn't what you think it is…"

"Isn't what I think it is…?" She looked at Harima, her eyes trailing from his face, following an automatic path down his body and to his outstretched arms and where he placed his hands on Tsukamoto Yakumo's shoulders.

She slowly raised her eyebrow.

Harima followed her gaze and immediately jumped up, keeping his hands behind his back. "Geh! I-It's not what you think, O-Ojou! I'm just asking Imouto-san for a favour, that's all!"

"…And what might that be?" Her hands were now on her hips now, and there were more than a few people staring.

'Crap! I can't have my reputation as a man go down in the drain! If I just give up to Ojou right now, I might as well shrivel and die!' The image in his mind brought a few shivers up his spine, and he quickly composed himself in the blink of an eye.

"Ah, you see, Ojou, I was simply asking her on how to cook well for…for the girl I like, isn't that right, Imouto-san?"

"Eh? Ah…That's right…"

"S-See? So whatever you do…" He pulled the blonde girl to one side and whispered in her ear. "Don't tell any of our classmates. I don't want them or the girl I like to misunderstand this."

Eri's cheeks darkened at how close her classmate was to her, so she could only nod mutely in reply and only when Harima removed his grasp from her arm did she feel her heartbeat slow down a little and back away from him slightly.

"Well then, Imouto-san. This is as far as I'll escort you. Sorry about that…See you then."

"S-See you." Yakumo waved back staring at his receding back as he made his way down the corridor without a care in the world. Eri looked at her suspiciously.

"You wouldn't be trying to hide something from me, would you?" Yakumo turned at the sound of her upperclassman's voice tentatively. She was looking at her in a way one would describe as suspicious, not forgetting the fact that there seemed to be an underlying tone to her voice, coupled with her narrowed eyes and her folded arms across her chest.

"N-No, senpai…"

"Oh?"

"I-It's true…"

The blonde girl stared hard at her for several seconds, and then she unfolded her arms. "All right then. I'll hold you true to your word as I did before." With that, she swiftly turned and hurried after Harima, who was about to stare a second year into submission after the latter had bumped into him. Eri eventually caught up, and Yakumo watched as the two of them bickered their way up the stairs as always.

"What's the matter, Yakumo?" Sara Adiemus' voice broke her out of her gazing and she turned to address her friend.

"It's nothing…Shall we head in?"

"Yup. Classes are going to begin soon. Have you done your homework already?"

"Yeah…I finished it two days ago…"

Class was always hell for Tani.

At least, when it came to his students of the famed 2-C., now mostly gathered in the room marked by a sign '3-C' instead.

One way or the other, chaos always seem to find its way into the classroom, be it through the windows or the doors, or by whatever means necessary. It had come to the point that if there had been no mayhem seen in the class at all for one day, it would seem extremely strange to him.

Not that such a thing would reduce his love of teaching, of course, as tempting as it might be to quit, he decided that as their homeroom teacher, it would be best for him to see through it with his students like any dedicated mentor should.

Taking a deep breath, he tried to blot out the din coming from within the classroom, opened the door and stepped into the minefield. "Class, please settle down. Homeroom's about to star-"

A book flew into his face, scoring a bull's-eye on his nose and effectively denting his spectacles slightly. He removed the book from his face and dodged just in time before a somehow sharpened broom could impale him.

"You bastard! How dare you kidnap Yakumo-kun and make her walk with you to her classroom! I'll never forgive you!"

"Hah? What the hell are you talking about? I was merely escorting her there because she said she was having a little bit of trouble, Four-Eyes!"

"Only an idiot would believe the word of a delinquent like you, Harima Kenji!"

"Well then, be that idiot!"

"Would you two stop fighting, damn it! Homeroom's about to start!"

"Oi, Nara, how much would you like to bet on Harima? Bets start at 1000 yen apiece for both Hanai and him."

"Ano…"

"Oi, Hanai! Get your ass back here and sit down, idiot!"

"But he has done something unforgivable! There's no way I'm backing out of this!"

"Heh, since you put it that way, it doesn't look like there's any other way around this. I've wanted to put you in your place too, Four-Eyes."

"Fight! Fight! Fight!"

"Will someone listen to me and stop them, damn it!"

A hand slammed down on the teacher's desk, effectively silencing all the students in the room and they turned to look at the person who had done so. Harima's fist landed squarely on Hanai's cheek even as they stopped while the dustpan effectively dealt a blow to the delinquent's midriff.

All they saw were a pair of spectacles, reflecting the blinding sunlight that had so cheekily peeked into their classroom through the windows.

It was a god, or at the very least, it seemed like one. What else could give off such a heavenly aura save for Nishimoto?

"Good morning, class…I hope you're ready for Homeroom."

….Or not.

Almost automatically, the students returned to their seats quietly as though it was their second nature to do so. There was no noise save for the sound of shifting chairs and tables as they took their seats. Imadori, who was still sleeping, miraculously woke up and sat up straight. Harima Kenji and Hanai Haruki, though, were still locked in a fierce staring contest and jabbing of one's fist (or dustpan, in Hanai's case) into the body part which it rested upon.

"Harima-kun, Hanai-kun, please return to your seats."

"But sensei! I have to settle the issue about Yakumo-kun with this…this delinquent!"

"I can't just back down from a fight here, sensei!"

His glasses shone again, hiding any emotional changes reflected in his eyes, though his tone was unmistakable. "Sit. Down. Now…please."

"Hai" Harima hopped back to his seat as though he was a preschool student aiming to please his teacher while Hanai simply slumped into his.

He was no god, but probably the only other teacher aside from Osakabe Itoko who was able to stop the delinquent in his tracks whenever he turned a blind eye to all else except for fighting.

Smiling as though the fight did not occur in the first place (as well as the fact that a sharpened end of a broomstick nearly impaled him), he stood up. "Well then…First of all, welcome back to school. I'm pretty sure all of you have had a good time during your break?"

A few murmurs greeted him.

Tani smiled mildly. "It's the start of a new semester, and I'm…glad to have the fortune to be your Homeroom teacher again. Let's hope we have a good year ahead of us."

A disembodied answer followed, mixed with some cheers and some more intense murmuring. Tani almost felt at home again; chaotic they may be, he was still the most familiar with them…Well, at least most of them. Imadori Kyousuke was noticeably missing, together with Hiroyoshi Asou and his best friend, Ryuuhei Suga (at least he assumed so, seeing as both of them seemed to be close). Nara Kentarou was in the neighbouring class, and probably having a field day together with Yoshidayama, considering the fact that their rivalry with the then 2-D class came close to being legendary in the school. Not that he minded, of course. He was always up for a challenge from 2-D, though the departure of Kouriyama might see a little less of that.

'Still, a little less excitement won't hurt…' He looked down on the opened book and began calling out names as though it was his second nature to do so. 'Besides, some of those new students might seem a little less…vibrant than Harima or Hanai.'

Speaking of Harima, he was rather surprised that he, of all people had managed to pull through. There had been a few times where he had called for him to stay back for some remedial classes for the whole of summer holidays last year, and even considered counseling to see, perhaps, what was wrong. He was busy on both counts doing 'something important', as he had put it over the phone. There was a little excitement on his other side when he mentioned the cruel truth about being retained if he did not pass…Well, it might or might not have been the drive needed for Harima, but Tani was still happy to see another familiar face in the class.

Though there was still the fact that he was still someone who has been making the classroom a more…'exciting' place…

"Ne, Hige…"

"Yeah?" A new school year heralded changes, and it so happened that the Fates had determined that the new change that was to happen was to have a certain half-English, half-Japanese teenage girl sit behind a gruff and seemingly uncaring teenage male with a unusual penchant for beards and mustaches.

"What was it that Hanai was shouting about?" Her eyes narrowed. "Could it be that you-"

Harima froze and looked to his right. Yes, as the Fates had dictated for him, Tenma-chan was next to him again. It was well worth the torture he had to endure with books and with two certain girls named Takano Akira as well as Sawachika Eri-otherwise known as Ojou to him-and a certain physics teacher. The only downside then was the fact that he suffered several bruises and perhaps a broken rib or two when he requested for an extension of the deadline for his manga.

'Then again, what's a broken body compared to being able to be with Tenma-chan again?"

"-ge? Hige!" Harima snapped out of his daydream and looked at the girl behind him in confusion. What was she asking about now? Or rather, did she ask anything at all in the first place?

"What is it that happened this morning…?"

"Ah! It's nothing…All a silly misunderstanding, Ojou. Nothing to be worried about!" He nervously replied as soon as he saw Tenma's pigtails perk- a sign that she was interested in something.

'Darn you, Ojou! Don't say it until Tenma-chan can hear it…'

"Oh." The blonde sat back, seemingly casual and remained silent. Harima Kenji was behaving awfully suspicious…Not that she had not seen that side of him before. Still, the notion of him and another girl together, most of all Tenma's little sister…

"What is it? Worried about competition for a man who has pretended to be your fiancé, only to have you kick him in the face when you realized his true identity?"

"Geh!" She almost leapt out of her seat when Takano Akira's voice seemingly came out from nowhere. She looked at her, irritated, before composing herself. "W-What the heck are you talking about?"

"Oh, you know what I'm talking about."

"B-But I don't have those kinds of feelings for Hige!"

"Did I say it was Harima?"

She swore she would have seen a grin on her face had she turned around, but chose to remain silent while her cheeks burned slightly. Had they not been in class, she would have tried to glare a hole through her if she could. It would not have been any use to deny it, anyway, since it WAS the truth and Akira always seemed to have a way of knowing what had happened. A bout of snickering from Suou Mikoto kept her confined to the realm of her textbook throughout the lesson, however, so all she could do was wait until Tani-sensei was finished with the class.

"Hige might have heard you!"

"Ara, but he didn't, did he?" There hadn't really been time to do anything to her enigmatic friend, and by the time lunchtime came knocking, Eri's anger had more or less dissipated, replaced by a seemingly everlasting irritation.

"Putting that aside, when are you going to come clean with your feelings?"

Eri fidgeted uncomfortably. "I-It really isn't like that…"

"What is it? What are you talking about?" Tsukamoto Tenma arrived, and was instantly interested in their little conversation.

"Oh, we were talking about relationships in general…Pertaining to Eri."

The said girl gave Mikoto a glare and laughed nervously at Tenma.

"Wow! Eri-chan has someone she likes? What a surprise!"

"S-Somehow that doesn't really sound right…"

"It's normal to feel surprised, Tenma. Don't worry about it."

Tenma nodded repeatedly. "Yeah, that's right! After all, Eri had rejected countless guys who confessed to her before."

"A-Ano, that's another matter…"

"Who is he? Do I know him well? So when are you going to tell him?"

"Eh?" Faced with the bombardment of questions from the shorter girl, Eri was at a loss for words. There would be a time where she would have easily shrugged everything off, but now…

"Ah, Harima-kun." Eri almost automatically turned to where Tenma was looking. Indeed, it was the one and only guy who wore shades to school. He had just stood up after seemingly busy with some writing. He turned upon hearing Tenma's voice and looked directly at the group, his eyes seemingly fixated on someone.

The girl felt her heart skip a beat.

"Where are you off to, Harima-kun?"

'Tenma-chan is asking about me…It is a sign of concern, definitely!' "Ah…I'm off to the rooftop to do some thinking."

"Oh, is it about the new man-Urff!" Harima's hand came over her mouth quickly, and he took her swiftly to one side.

"Tsukamoto, i-it wouldn't be safe to say that out in front of everyone."

She shrugged out of his grasp. "But why? I think being a mangaka is quite an accomplishment, ever more so when you're still studying. Besides," She smiled. "I like your manga."

Harima blushed, making no attempt to hide it (or rather, her unexpected comment had him reflexively doing so). 'As expected of Tenma-chan…She never fails to cheer me on, even when I'm doing stupid things like this.' "Th-Thank you, Tsukamoto, but I would rather keep this manga as a secret with you and Imouto-san."

She raised an eyebrow, but nodded anyway. "Okay, Harima-kun." She began to turn, but stopped as her pigtails perked again, as though she had just remembered something. "By the way, Harima-kun, you haven't answered my question about who you like," She looked at him suspiciously. "And that reminds me…What exactly is your relationship with Yakumo?"

Harima stiffened. "Ah! I just remembered that I'll be late for something! See you later, Tsukamoto!" He sprinted out of the classroom before she could react, leaving her with a trail of dust and a few unanswered questions.

"Ara? Harima-kun!" She started to go after him, only to have her sights immediately turn to a certain expressionless boy who walked past and like an ant to the scent of sugar. As if on cue, the boy turned around.

"Ohayo, Tsukamoto-san."

"Ohayo Karasuma-kun!"

Akira blinked. "Somehow I feel sorry for him."

"Who?"

"It's nothing, Mikoto."

Author's Note: First chapter's always a sample. Please R&R, though. I would be glad to be able to continue this, despite having little guarantee on how it will all turn out,especially whether the story might take a serious turn or not. Till then, cheers.


	2. Chapter 2

Well now…The number of reviews for the first chapter was a little surprising. I certainly never thought a first chapter would warrant that many of them, but most certainly, thanks to those who have reviewed, especially to those with constructive criticisms.

Ken: We shall see…

lost972: click on "thank you" I most certainly hope this second one doesn't disappoint too much…

Vega62a: I was pondering about that as well, thinking that certain gags were based off mistaken pronunciations, but I still decided to take your suggestion. I've cut down on the usage of Japanese Romanji words, though this chapter seems pretty random even to me. Hope it isn't really that bad for you.

Al: Not really. Perhaps just how random some parts of School Rumble might be, but other than that, there's no way I can get the feel that easily.

Sherwin and Masasume: Thanks. I'll try to update a.s.a.p.

Chapter 2, launching!

**Seasonal Feeling**

**Chapter 2**

"So what do you think of it, Imouto-san?" Harima Kenji asked eagerly, hoping that somehow if Tsukamoto Yakumo approved of whatever he had done, the Chief Editor might as well. It was all right to get a few injuries here and there from that monster, but more questions might be asked if he came into the school bandaged like a mummy and on a wheelchair, no less. Itoko would not let him off for getting himself banged about either, but most importantly, his Tenma-chan would be hurt to see him all wrapped up like that.

It would just as he imagined it: Sweet, kind Tenma looking at him with big, teary eyes and asking him where it hurt. He would point out the parts, and there she would be, all prepped up as a nurse and ready to administer "treatment" to him. Her face would loom closer, with eyes closed and cherry lips slightly agape…

"…U-Um, Harima-san?"

"Yes, Tenma-chan?" His eyes were still closed in bliss, waiting for that soft feeling of her lips upon his.

"H-Harima-san, I-I'm not Onee-chan…"

"Eh? What do you mean you're not-" He opened his eyes, just to confirm. It was Tsukamoto all right. Her cute face, the beautifully fair skin accentuating her bright red eyes…

'She's as cute as always…Eh? "Onee-chan? Red eyes…?"'

The vision faded and he literally froze with shock. Tsukamoto's face was a mere three inches from his own.

Tsukamoto Yakumo, that is.

"S-Sorry!" He immediately let go of her hands and not knowing what to do, scratched the back of his head furiously while looking down. Who knows what might happen had he followed through with his daydream? Various possibilities filled his mind, but he quickly shook his head fervently to clear his head.

"I-It's okay…" Only when she replied a dozen heartbeats later did he muster the courage to look up. A familiar crimson hue still tinted the younger Tsukamoto's cheeks, and she was looking nervously in every possible direction save for him. It reminded Harima very much of a girl he once saw when she was talking to some handsome brat on the express train. Well, anyone would feel embarrassed to be in that situation. The delinquent was pretty sure had it been someone like Suou or Ojou, he might be flying off the roof at this very moment…Or perhaps floating up, depending on the velocity of his short trip down five storeys.

"I'm sorry if I scared you, Imouto-san. For a moment I thought you were Tsu-you were someone else." He caught himself in time. Things might get a little complicated for his liking if he let the sister of the one he loved know about his feelings.

'But if she had heard what I said just now…' He shuddered to think what might happen, the possibilities running amok in his mind, grappling and wrestling each other in submission.

"Harima-san…"

"Y-Yes?" He gulped.

"Um…Do you…Do you love my sister?"

He could feel large amounts of perspiration starting to form around his forehead. "W-W-What makes you think so, I-I-Imouto-san?"

"That's because you called Onee-chan's name just now, so I thought…" She almost jumped when Harima grabbed her shoulders again. "S-Sorry! I didn't mean to assume…"

"Imouto-san…You need to realize that manga's all about creating the atmosphere-wait, haven't I said this before?"

She nodded, looking at him with worry as though her comment might have caused one or two circuits in his brain to go haywire.

"Y-You see, I was simply using your sister as an example…I thought she would be a good one, so I was just thinking about new ideas for a character in an upcoming manga with her personality." He laughed nervously. 'What the hell am I doing, panicking like this?'

"Hah…But Harima-san, it may just be my imagination, but you seem…"

"Hmm?"

She took a deep breath. 'I should confirm with him now…' "You always seem so happy and energetic whenever it came to my sister. It almost seemed as though…" She paused, her eyebrows slightly creasing. "It almost seemed as though everything you did…was for her sake."

"Eh? B-But what makes you think-"

"You were the one who told Karasuma-san to look for Onee-chan on her birthday last year, right?" She had no idea what possessed her to ask such a personal question, especially when it concerned affairs of the heart. In fact, she was rather surprised at herself. It still seemed like yesterday since she gave her answer to her-

"Y-Yeah…How did you know about that?"

"I was just making a wild guess…"

"I see…" Harima fidgeted uncomfortably. He was well aware of the fact that he had not answered her question yet. "So…Is the story alright? Is there anything that I might need to remedy or change in regards to the characters?"

"Ah…" Yakumo turned back to the script at hand and flipped through it, having read the entire stack before. "Um…"

"Yes, Imouto-san?" Harima leaned forward eagerly, one half of his mind relieved that he had diverted her attention away from the topic of his practically non-existent love life, while the other half genuinely enthusiastic and attentive about her opinions.

"Um…I hope you won't mind it too much…"

Harima nodded his head vigorously, indicating that she should continue.

"Well…The characters seem a little bit…repetitive."

"Repetitive?" 'That's new…Imouto-san has never criticized my work before…But maybe she has a point.' He nodded again, this time somewhat hesitantly, but kept silent, waiting for her to continue.

"Considering that the story is continued from your previous one, maybe the male lead might have changed, considering the traumatic experiences he had gone through and how hard he worked to get the girl to notice him. The male lead doesn't seem to give the feeling that something's different about him compared to the last time…"

'Ohh! As expected of Imouto-san.' "That's right! I was wondering about that as well. Anything else I might need to consider?"

Her crimson eyes narrowed as she tried to think. "Ah…Maybe a change of the scenario in which they meet. Um…I think this one has been used before…"

"Is that so?" Harima walked, stopping beside her and taking a good look at his own work. "I thought the scenario where the both of them get trapped in an elevator is a new one…"

"…The feeling's the same."

"Eh?" Now he was confused. 'What was she talking about? Aren't unused situations different?'

"I'm not very sure if this is correct, but it doesn't feel that there's any…different. The male lead seems to be able to get his feelings requited without much trouble from his love rivals…" She flipped through it and came to a particular page. "I thought perhaps the scenario here could be developed further, when the main character faces off with his love nemesis…" She trailed off.

"What's the matter?"

"Um…Doesn't the antagonist look somewhat like…Karasuma-san?"

'What the…? Impossible! How did she find out? The disguise was so perfect! I even had him mention hating curry in the previous chapter! How can she be so sharp? Perhaps she really does have the innate ability to read people's minds!'

"Harima-san…"

"Nooo! Don't read my mind! I'm not thinking about anything weird or strange about your sister!"

"So you do like Onee-chan."

"…Eh…?" He stopped wailing and looked up, processing her simple yet direct statement in his mind and immediately realized that his little tantrum had just given away the one sensitive issue that he wanted to keep hidden from Tsukamoto Yakumo.

"I…I self-destructed…" He fell to his knees and held his head in his hands, utter despair tightly clutching his heart in an iron fist. 'Now everything would be for naught once Imouto-san tells Tenma-chan. But she won't tell on me, right? Then again, Tenma's chan's her elder sister…She won't keep anything from her…'

"Harima-san…"

He immediately looked up at her and kowtowed almost immediately. "I-Imouto-san! Please don't tell your sister! I'll do anything! I can even give you my bike! I-"

"I won't."

He plucked up his courage to look at her, completely taken off-guard by her answer. "You really mean that…?"

She nodded.

"But Ten-Tsukamoto is your elder sister. Should you really be keeping something like this from her?" He had, by now, rose to his full height, but looked as puzzled as a 10 year-old when he was told that the answer to where babies came from was 'the birds and the bees.'

Had she been more capable of readily displaying her emotions, Yakumo would have at least giggled at the expression on his face. Who would have thought a delinquent like him would show such an innocent face? Instead, she simply smiled. "It's okay…Onee-chan should find it out for herself how much you're doing for her. If I just tell her, I would simply be wasting all the effort you put in, Harima-san."

"Imouto-san…" The teenager shed tears of relief and joy, but quickly wiped them as he regained his composure and grinned at her. "…Thanks. You're a good friend. I'll keep your advice in mind and make the necessary changes. "

A tune, generally low and continuous sounded throughout the school. Harima looked at his watch and panicked a little.

"Crap! Lunch break is over! I'm sorry to have wasted your time, Imouto-san. I'll make it up to you some other time, alright?"

"Ah…Alright."

"See you at the same place then!" He waved and hurriedly rushed back to class, not wanting to miss any opportunity to talk to or even simply just to look at his Tenma-chan before Itoko's class began. There was only so much trust he could place in her for not making fun of him if he did not pay attention in class.

Yakumo started after him, but stopped short as she watched him run with so much vigor past the door and down the stairs.

"…Good luck, Harima-kun…"

Harima suppressed a yawn as he tried to keep awake. If there was perhaps one subject that he had absolutely no interest in, it was Physics. Somehow science and Harima Kenji simply do not connect well.

At least to him.

'But for the sake of Tenma-chan, I have to study hard in order to pass and go to university with her. I have done it before, and I will do so again!' He clutched his fist in determination, suddenly feeling a swell in his chest.

"Student number 15, do you have the answer to question within your grasp already?" Osakabe Itoko's voice shattered his thoughts like a stone thrown at fragile glass and he turned to the teacher, an unreadable expression on his face.

"Yes, Ito-Sensei?" 'Grr…What's with the number calling? It's not like I don't have a name, damn it.'

She had walked up to his desk by now and looked at him with a peculiar overdose of concern and saccharine sweetness her cousin knew she would not display towards him. "Are you feeling sick, student number 15? Maybe you would like to rest in the infirmary until you feel better. I'll then give you tuition-"

"A-Ah! It's okay, sensei! I-I was just agonizing over the fact that I don't know the answer to the question yet!" Harima shuddered at the thought of being alone with Itoko. Who knows what kind of murderous intentions she might have behind closed doors.

Satisfied with his answer, the teacher smiled and went back to teaching as though nothing had happened, leaving Harima sweating profusely.

"Hige, are you alright?"

"Ngh!" He had forgotten that Sawachika Eri was seated right behind him. If she saw him in a panicky state, his reputation would go down in tatters. Quickly regaining his composure and double checking his shades to see that they were in order, he slightly turned his head and gave her a thumbs-up as though to say "No problem. It's just the weather."

"Hah…" Eri kept silent after that, but remained curious at the abnormal behavior the boy in front of her had displayed. It was nothing like the badass Harima Kenji should do, but then again, she had to admit he had mellowed and changed quite a bit since the day she met him. It was peculiar in Osakabe-sensei's case, though. Of all the times she could recall, there was not one time where Harima did not give in to her as compared to the other teachers.

"Hmm…"

""What kind of a relationship do they have?" Is what you're thinking, isn't it?" Akira's voice floated over to her ears as soon as last lesson ended; as though she had been 'dying' to ask her that question from the very moment the little incident occurred during their Physics lecture. Eri sat up straight in shock, but quickly recovered. It was pointless to waste her time glaring her into submission anyway and as usual, she was right on target with her answer.

"So you noticed it too?"

"Anything that warrants a good reaction never escapes my eyes." Akira replied nonchalantly as though it was a perfectly normal answer while reading a book entitled 'The Man and his Mind'. Eri sighed and turned to her two other friends, whom perhaps she could consider normal.

'Well, maybe not Tenma…' She watched her twiddle with her stationery, trying to make some strange structure which she would probably declare to be an 'expression of New Age art'. Almost immediately, though, she felt guilt gathering in the pits of her stomach. Tenma was after all a friend, and it would be rude to think of her plainly as someone 'strange'. Aside from that, she seemed closer to Harima than ever before, which left her with more than a few questions, some of which might be answered by the fact that Karasuma Ooji had not left for America despite the rumors.

"So what do you think about Hige and Osakabe-sensei?"

"Well now, interested aren't we?" A suggestively raised eyebrow was enough to sent red blood cells up to Eri's face and she opened her mouth to protest, closing it in irritation when she knew it would avail to nothing to deny it (partially thanks to Akira).

"What is it, what is it? What about Harima-kun and Osakabe-sensei?" By now the girl had abandoned her quest for what could be her greatest piece of architectural work and joined in the conversation, her short pigtails twitching with anticipation and curiosity.

"Eri here can't decide whether she should just corner Harima in the quietest place in school and conf-Mmph!" Mikoto was cut off as the said blonde produced a cupcake and stuffed it into her mouth.

"She was just saying that I would be concerned about him."

"Oh?" There was a glint in Tenma's eyes which Eri had no intention of liking.

"I-It isn't like that! I'm just concerned about him as a-a friend. It could be detrimental for his reputation if the rumors start getting out of hand, you know." She hastily added, knowing Mikoto or Akira would follow up with some strange comment.

"That makes sense." Tenma stroked her chin thoughtfully.

"That's why I hope you could ask him about it, seeing as the both of you are rather…close…"

"Why can't you ask him yourself?"

'Sometimes her innocence really loves biting people in the ass.' "That's because…That's because it would be embarrassing."

"Embarrassing? Why?"

Eri pulled at her pigtails in frustration. "Never mind." She rose from her seat and grabbed her bag. "I'll be going off first. See you later at the same place."

"Where are you going in such a hurry? To see your Hig-Oof!" Mikoto, who had managed to swallow the cupcake a little too rich in flour and sugar found another one flung into her mouth with perfect accuracy the instant she opened it to talk. This time she could not be bothered and simply tossed it out of the window, a strangely sour aftertaste in her mouth. "Did you put vinegar in this one?"

But she was already gone, her mind hazy with images of what she should be doing and what she was about to do. 'Why does talking to Hige sound so bad? It's not like I hate him…And he's only just one guy. I've talked to plenty of males before, so I shouldn't be feeling so nervous.'

'That's because you like him, idiot.' Another voice resounded in her head.

'No! I-'

'Why deny it when you seem ready to accept it yourself?'

She shook her head to rid herself of her inner thoughts, even if for just a while. It was enough that she had to deal with her apparent recent discomfort with him, especially if they were to be alone. It wasn't as though she disliked him as she did at first, but somehow she could not place a finger on what exactly was it that she was feeling-

"Hey, watch where you're goi-Oh, it's you." Eri had been so deeply entrenched in her thoughts that she had bumped into someone, who happened to be at the centre of attention of her thoughts several moments ago.

"I-I have a name, you know…"

"Sorry, Sawachika. What's up? You look like you were in a hurry."

'He called me by my name…' I-It's nothing much." She fidgeted uncomfortably and was suddenly extremely aware of the number of people in the corridor. "C-Can we talk someone a little more…secluded?"

"Secluded? What the heck are you up to now?" Harima raised an eyebrow at the use of the word, suddenly suspicious. It has been quite a while since anything bad had happened when he was with her, but it never hurt to be on high alert whenever he was around the blonde girl.

"Never mind. Just follow me, alright?" She grabbed his hand without looking and literally dragged him across, earning a grunt of surprise from the male teenager. The heat did not subside from her cheeks until she finally led them to one of the more peaceful places in Yagami High. Considered a favorite haunt for loners and lovers alike, the place was a treat for one's eyes-Cherry blossoms draped the avenue of trees like pink curtains, giving a full display of their beautiful petals. Occasionally the wind would pick up her pace, and would playfully blow several dozen petals off, landing in a delightful shower about the several couples present at the school's secret garden.

'I never thought you would be willing to take it this far. This is a pretty good place for a confession.'

"Shut up, damn it!"

Harima was taken aback. "But I haven't even said anything yet!"

"I wasn't talking to you, I was-" She floundered, trying to think of any appropriate phrase she could come up with to explain that she was merely talking to the more rebellious mental side in her. Of course, knowing Hige, if she had said something like that right off the bat, he would have laughed his ass off and walked away, and she would probably follow up with a 'Shining Wizard' to his lower back or even the back of his head, resulting in him getting knocked out and leaving her with no choice but to drag him to the infirmary and watch over him until he woke up.

And that had happened more than once. Almost twice a week, in fact, ever since

'Wouldn't want him running off now, do we?'

She placed her hands behind her back, clasping and unclasping them nervously. "I just wanted to ask you something…"

"What is it?" He asked impatiently, wanting to rush home (or at least somewhere peaceful enough) to make the changes to his manga.

"Well…" The tips of her shoes began making circles in the soft ground.

'Come on, I don't have all day!' Was what he was thinking, but Harima chose to remain silent and look expectantly at her.

"What's the relationship between Osakabe-sensei and you?" The words came out in a jumble, but the delinquent understood her somehow and he laughed, relieving the small bit of tension that hung between them.

"Oh that! I thought it was something damn serious! You scared me for a moment, Ojou."

"It IS important, idiot!" She fought down the urge to kick him in the shin. "It concerns Osakabe-sensei's reputation, as well as yours…" She glared at him. "You haven't answered me yet."

"Oh…I'm a tenant of hers, so basically we live together."

"Wha-" The gaping entrance left by her mouth could practically make space for a few burgers to be stuffed in.

"That's right. Is there anything wrong with that when she's my cou-" He stopped, surprised to see the blonde girl nowhere in his sights. As Harima turned to look for her, a heavy and powerful force smashed into the back of his head. The boy slumped forward and fell face forward like a ton of bricks.

Eri gasped, and then sighed exasperatedly. 'Not again…I might as well make a list on the number of times I conked him out according to the specific body parts…But it's the first time he fell forward though. Come to think of it, it's the first time I attacked him from behind too.'

Bending down, she turned him over as gently as she could without using too much force. The shades were miraculously most undamaged, save for part of the frame, which had bended slightly. It dropped as she turned him onto his back, revealing a rather childlike and innocent sleeping façade. She raised her eyebrows in surprise at that sight, but as they lowered, a bashful smile widened across her cheeks.

'He really looks different when he sleeps, after all…'

Author's Note: mumble Time short…mumbleStupid superior… mumble Need…to…concentrate…

Ah! Sorry about that. There have been a few problems with my time management lately, so I haven't been able to keep writing at a constant rate, so please forgive me. The ending's a little random there because I basically ran out of ideas for the moment. Rest assured that those few reviews have more or less spurred me on at least to continue it whenever I have the time. Till then, Cheerio.


	3. Chapter 3

First of all, let me apologize to those who wanted me to continue this as soon as possible. I hope you understand that I'm unable to continue this one (and probably all my other fan fiction) as well on a regular basis anymore. As you know, shit happens sometimes, especially when you're reaching at the age where one is allowed to smoke and drink. That being said, I'll still continue to put in my best efforts to keep it going till it ends or till I collapse…Whichever comes first.

lost972: Killed? If randomness is part of School Rumble as much as eating and drinking is of a human, nothing's decided until the end. As for a kiss…Well, I just thought it was a little too early, but thanks once again for your comments. They are always appreciated.

Al: Not really…Considering how far I've lagged behind the manga itself, some things might not come into balance with it. Perhaps that might serve to boost the randomness of the story, though…

And the story goes on…

**Seasonal Feeling**

**Chapter 3**

Harima Kenji awoke, the throbbing in his head nowhere near subsiding. It was a painfully familiar (no pun intended) feeling that he had experienced whenever he got embroiled with anything concerning Sawachika Eri.

_Who the hell is she? Some woman I owed in my past life? I really don't need to remind myself how it seems as though she was born to be in my way._ He furrowed his eyebrows and grimaced as it brought about a stinging in his already sore head. _Shit…This isn't good. I've got tutorials to finish by tomorrow._ As he got up, the former delinquent stopped. _…Wait, when have I ever worried about trifle things like homework? I must be getting soft…But at least it's soft from love. I have to persevere…For the sake of Tenma-chan!_

With a clenched fist and determined look on his face, he decided to heave himself up from the infirmary bed, only to find his shirt being pulled by something. Looking down, he was surprised with the sight of seeing a certain blonde girl from his class, sitting at his bedside with her head lying on the soft mattress of the bed. Most notably, her hand was clutching on to his uniform with a vice-like grip.

Sawachika Eri sat in a slouched position, her head tilted downwards and her luscious blonde hair hanging from it (courtesy of her pigtails) like two bright bolts of silk unveiled.

Had it been any other healthy and normal male (especially Yoshidayama), Harima would have at the very least stared at her for a few seconds…and perhaps go for a second glance if he was the typical nice guy who was afraid of approaching members of the opposite sex alone. There was only one girl that could occupy his head, and the vision of the goddess with long silky black hair and her two cute pigtails filled it almost completely.

This time, he tried to stand up again, but the pull was still too strong. The only thing that could separate her hand from his clothing was to rip either the hand or his shirt off. The former thought was too gruesome even for someone fated to be in his way, of course, and he was short on cash.

_There's no way Itoko would let me live it down if I get this one ripped…And when did her grip become so strong? Geez…_ He sighed, gave up and sat back down, waiting for her to wake up so that he could actually get home and start working more on his manga. Tsukamoto Yakumo had, after all, always been dishing out good advice for his manga and the like.

_Come to think of it, I haven't seen her talking to other guys aside from me and Shuuji…Could it be that she has some sort of problem communicating with guys?_ It was a thought, since he had never really been curious about Tenma's younger sister-something he had been feeling a slight twinge of guilt for whenever he asked for her help. He knew it better than anyone else: That she was not obliged to help him, but was there to do so as a friend whenever he needed her.

_Maybe there's something I can do for her in return… _He scratched his chin thoughtfully. As much as it shamed him, he knew too little about Imouto-san. He had no idea what she was not good at, or what she would love to do (aside from spending time with animals, though Harima Kenji personally felt that it would do him an injustice to take her out just for something she could do on her own).

_Wait…problem communicating with guys…?_ He thought hard. Maybe it would actually be a good idea to help her overcome it, since he recalled hearing her saying something like wanting to improve and communicate more with the opposite sex…And there could be no better place than-

* * *

"A blind-date agency? Why the heck are you asking me about these things?" 

"W-Well, I thought with your…vast knowledge of things like this, you should at least know that much…"

"Don't try to placate me, Kenji." Osakabe Itoko looked at him flatly and her eyes narrowed. "Are you suggesting that I'd actually need those conmen to tell me who will be my perfect match?"

"Che. Doesn't matter. I'll look for them on my own."

"Why do you want to go to a dating service anyway? Haven't you already got _Tenma-chan_?" She pulled two clumps of hair into the trademark pigtails of the beloved that practically occupied every waking (and sleeping moment) of her cousin and grinned.

"Wha-!" Harima stopped in mid-stride, his face instantly turning several shades of red. "I-I wasn't going there for getting some snotty or pimpled-face girl!"

She looked at him slyly; casually grinding the latest batch of barbeque flavored potato chips in her mouth. "Oh? So _who_ is it for then?"

"I can't tell you that."

Itoko looked at him curiously. "…Alright then, I won't ask."

"What?" If there were moments where Harima was genuinely shocked when it came to his unforgiving cousin, this was one of them.

"You heard me. Since it's something personal, I'll stop asking questions." She replied nonchalantly, as though it was the most natural thing on earth for me to say. Harima gaped at her, but recovered soon enough.

"T-Then, I'm leaving. I probably won't be back for dinner." He continued looking at Itoko suspiciously, wondering what she was up to now. Nothing good came out of her acting so 'strangely'…At least for him.

It was not until he almost tripped and fell did he realize by observing his wicked cousin for any signs of strange behavior had caused him to wear his shoes on the wrong feet.

"Damn it…" Harima hurriedly changed them and bolted out the door, closing it simultaneously as he did so, not bothering whether it was locked or not. It did not really matter, though, since the 'dramedy' she was watching would probably keep her in the house for at least the next couple of hours.

_Still, Imouto-san must be been really surprised then…I never did call her other than matters concerning the manga. It would just seem as though I was using her for my own purposes to Tenma-chan_. It might not be the best thing to do just to let her overcome Yakumo's apparent fear of males other than him and Shuuji, but it was a start.

* * *

"Hello…Oh, Harima-senpai. How may I help you?" 

"Yo, Imouto-san. I hope you won't mind if I asked you to come out for a while."

"Not really, Harima-san. Do you need help with your manga?"

"Ah…No…It isn't really anything concerning that."

"Eh?" Almost immediately after hearing his hesitance in revealing his purpose for asking her to come out, Yakumo's eyebrows shot up in surprise as her crimson orbs widened. Even though it might sound rude, the times when Harima Kenji called her was to ask for her opinion on the mangas he had been working on most of the time. In fact, she had even expected a call from him just to ask about her sister.

"Anyway, just come. I'll be meeting you at the fountain near the city centre at eleven this Saturday…If it's okay with you."

"It's fine with me." The younger Tsukamoto said without a moment's hesitation. If it was something that she could help with when it came to him, no persuasion was needed.

"Then I'll see you there."

"All right." She replied with a small smile and hung up, all the while failing to notice a certain sibling of hers looking at her suspiciously and attempting to eavesdrop until she turned around.

"…Onee-chan, what are you doing?"

"Yakumo, were you talking to a guy or girl?" Her pigtails twitched.

"It's a guy."

"Who is it?" Barely had Yakumo finished, Tenma had already asked her next question, her pigtails starting to twitch uncontrollably. Yakumo smiled despite herself. It was an indication that her 'Onee-chan Power' was near activation status.

"It's only Harima-san, Onee-chan."

"Oh…It's Harima-kun, eh?" She visibly relaxed, her frown of disapproval easily dissolving into a smile and proceeded to pat Yakumo's shoulder. "Good luck with your date."

"It isn't anything like that…" As sure as she is about Harima's feelings currently, her sister's words just reminded her of what other people might actually view it as. It only made Tenma's statement all the more convincing when Harima had not even told her what they were going to do on Saturday.

"It would be good if you could ask him who he really likes, though. I've seen him and Eri together on a few occasions, so I don't get him sometimes, even though Harima-kun has seemed to be a little more reliable nowadays."

Yakumo smiled. It would probably be excellent news for Harima, but she decided not to tell him. It was better if her elder sister actually said that directly to him, but for now, the only thing she could ponder about was what Harima wanted with her on a Saturday afternoon-Perfect for brainstorming for ideas for his manga rather than hanging out with a girl, or whatever it is.

"The only problem left is what you should wear for your date…Something plain? Harima-kun might not like that, but something too fancy won't be appropriate either…"

"…Onee-chan…Don't go off deciding things by yourself…"

* * *

Saturday. The first day of a weekend that provided a reliable cushion than the day after it for relaxation, knowing that there was always The Sunday to fall back on in case of any unforeseen circumstances. That was what teenagers his age thought nowadays. 

That was also what he once thought, until he met her.

She had first turned his life topsy-turvy when he was still a rowdy, brawling teenager who could not care less about studies, girls or what his mother cooked for dinner. Nowadays, it was either studies or the manga that kept him busy for the weekends. It was not as though he could compare to the mangakas who pass off as recluses, but when it comes to bringing a girl out, all he could do was to rely on girl magazines with painfully pink covers or the half-assed advice of people like Yoshidayama.

_Wait…This isn't anything for Tenma-chan. I'm just helping Imouto-san get over her fear of men. Why should I be so flustered?_ He scratched his head in consternation. Maybe those strange rumors about him going out with Tsukamoto Yakumo were starting to take effect on him, which made him all the more determined to confess to the one he truly loved.

"Sorry for being late." A small yet distinct voice called out, disrupting his thoughts. He turned to face a lovely vision of a teenage girl with peculiar crimson eyes in a simple dress of a sky blue hue and an unbuttoned vest matching her eye color over it.

_Hmm…Just give her those two lovely pigtails and longer hair…_

"Harima-san?" Having been brought back to reality, Harima felt a little embarrassed at spacing out, especially when it indirectly involved the person standing in front of him. He still could not get the thought that she could read his mind out of his head yet.

"A-Ahh, sorry about that! You weren't late at all." He stood up. Although this was a simple outing, he felt that it was at the very least considerate to at least wear something other than his school uniform out. That being said, he still felt slightly inadequate wearing the old black collared T-shirt and faded jeans Tenma had gotten him last year. "Shall we go?"

She gave a quick nod and followed Harima, who had already turned and walked down the busy streets of Yagami City purposefully. It almost seemed as though he actually knew where he was going, so she kept silent and fell in step with him.

"Imouto-san, are you still afraid of interacting with guys now?" He had to make sure, since there was still a distance to the intended place he wanted to bring her to.

"Eh? Well…Yes…" She was surprised that of all times, he had chosen now to ask something like that. Perhaps it might be tied in the reason behind their meeting. Yakumo looked up to see Harima smile ambiguously.

"Is that so? I guess that means we've come to the right place." He could still remember what happened when he had to return to the apartment five minutes after he left just to ask Itoko for some money to travel though. Harima never wanted to see another dirty plate in his entire life again.

Following his line of sight, Yakumo glanced to her left. The words 'Kuroshin Dating Agency Pte Ltd.' stood out in bolded words. Although it was relatively knew, the place was popular among the people here, especially single youths who suffered from the wrath of Lady Luck in relationships.

"Harima-san…?"

"Let's go in, Imouto-san. This is the perfect place for you to start getting over your fear." He grinned, and though Yakumo could not see what expression he was making behind those pair of shades, she could sense that there were no bad intentions behind this trip to the last place she would think of stepping into.

* * *

"Hello. What's your name?" The person at the table smiled at her as he spoke while Harima stood some distance behind. Yakumo looked at him uncertainly. 

_Wow, what a pretty girl! She has to be the prettiest ever since I came to work._

"Erm…Are the people so far that bad in your opinion…?"

"Eh?" The matchmaker blinked at her in genuine surprise. 'It's almost as though she could read my thoughts! I'm sure I masked my emotions thoroughly already…' Even as the girl in front of him looked at him with creased eyebrows (though not with an angry expression), the matchmaker plastered a friendly grin on his face and continued.

"Let's see…First up is Kotsui Ibaragi…" The matchmaker stood up and an extremely nervous-looking dark-haired youth who looked to be no older than 17. As soon as he sat down and looked at Yakumo, the shaking became even more obvious and he twiddled with his thumbs.

_Is that guy going to be all right? It's not like Imouto-san's going to eat him up or something…Well, she does have the ability to read minds, after all…_ Harima thoughtfully stroked his chin.

"Erm…You shouldn't have forced yourself to come if you didn't want to, even if you think it's nice to meet a few girls…"

_Geh! He hadn't even spoken yet…_

The boy looked up, surprise and wonder evident in his eyes. "You knew?"

Yakumo nodded with a smile, and suddenly the boy's nervousness vanished. "Is it all right if you could tell me how you were forced to come here?" Her look softened. "I won't laugh."

Ibaragi looked almost as though he would cry. "Thank you very much! Where shall I begin…?"

"You can start from the very beginning…"

* * *

"You should open your own counseling service, Imouto-san." Harima grinned. There had been at least three teenagers who voice their troubles out to her and another two who had ran helter-skelter out of the agency with their tails between their legs for having their imaginations about Yakumo brought forth ever so bluntly. It was only when the matchmaker chased them away for stalling business did they leave. "I didn't think you would be so…direct, though. It's a little different from the Imouto-san I know. Still, it was a refreshing experience." 

"I-Is that so?" Yakumo's cheeks colored slightly. She had been feeling rather guilty for having wasted Harima's time trying to get her to overcome her fear of guys, where in actual fact she had somehow been able to talk to them without much trouble.

_It's so strange that I felt as though I could do almost anything back then…_ She snuck a glance at her tall friend walking beside her, taking in the sights of nightlife in the city he lived in. Was it because of their friendship? He was, after all, the only real friend of the opposite sex she had. He had shown her his different sides, albeit sometimes unwittingly and the more she knew about him, the more she felt that she could trust him.

Was it trust, then? Was it purely trust which led to her feeling comfortable whenever he was around, or the fact that he would never ever let her sister down? That he was always there to back her up despite only having the relationship of 'mangaka and assistant?'

Or could it actually be something more…?

"What are you spacing out for, Imouto-san?" She snapped out of her thoughts and looked at him, noting the green man on the traffic light behind him was already blinking. "You wouldn't mind if I treated you to some dinner? Even though I'm a little short on money right now, at least let me do something for you today."

Yakumo smiled. "Okay, Harima-san. Please lead the way."

Harima grinned, only to frown when he found that they had to wait a little longer to cross the now impassable road. "Damn…Can't those traffic lights wait a little longer just for us to cross?"

_Just a little longer…_ She smiled subconsciously and looked at the profile of her friend. Yakumo did not know why she always felt at ease with him around, but that was not important. As long as she could spend a little more time with him just before the day ends…

"Just…A little longer…"

"Huh? Did you say something?"

Yakumo shook her head with a smile. "Nothing. Harima-kun. Nothing at all."

* * *

Author's Note: Finally…2006 had been a rather busy year, so I apologize for the late submission of this chapter. 

That being said, as much as I would love to make resolutions on giving more time to fan fiction, my ideas have simply been stagnant for a while. It's going to take some time before I can be back on constant submission again. I'm glad to say that I've at least planned for the next few chapters to be part of an arc, however pathetic that may seem. Reviews are always gladly welcomed, but please do cut down on the flames. I need something of a morale booster right now.

A belated Happy New Year to one and all! Sorry for the late present. I'll make it up to you guys somehow. Till next time.


	4. Chapter 4

First of all, a million apologies to readers waiting for the next chapter. It has STILL been hectic for a while. This is supposed to be a new arc of some sorts, and I've been pretty busy for a while, though it looks like that period will be gone soon enough. I'm counting on this piece of trash to make a good enough impression too, so here it is.

howlin mad: Thanks. Things have been confusing for me lately, though, ever since I started following the manga again so there might be a few discrepancies in how I perceive the character. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this one.

TorankusuGohan: Well, I don't smoke for one, and I'm an occasional drinker. They weren't really the problems here, but thanks all the same.

Nema: Looking at humor? I don't know about this one, because it seemed somewhat repetitive to me. Oh well...I'll be counting on you to help me, if that's possible.

waterxeno: You flatter me. I'm still green around the edges, because I don't have the patience to finish one chapter within a week. I do hope this might satisfy you.

lost972: Poor Yoshidayama. He was just a gag character then, and probably will be. Still, thanks for your praise. Here's more, though the quality isn't guaranteed.

Zeru: Thanks. I'm pretty sure I didn't receive any hate mail. Heh.

IronRaptr9241: Here's more. It's a little late, though.

And here it is...

**Seasonal Feeling**

**Chapter 4**

Try as he might, Harima Kenji could not concentrate on the two books in front of him. He knew that the fear of being left behind and not being able to see Tenma-chan again was what kicked him into action for the final year examinations last year, but try as he might, he could not bring himself to thrust aside her lovely image in his mind to focus on the Physics reference book he had gotten from the library shelves half an hour ago.

To make matters worse (or maybe better with a twinge of irony), it was all he could do to keep from staring at her three tables across.

"Must...concentrate..." The young man struggled to keep his thoughts on studying for the incoming tests. Somehow willing his gaze away from her, he tried to remember what had spurred him to change so drastically from a fighting, motorbike-loving delinquent to a fighting, motorbike-loving delinquent softened by love for a beautiful girl and thus took one forbidden step to the path of the notorious bookworm.

Surprisingly, it came to him easily. An image of a girl with a cheerful countenance and wide smile that could melt even the toughest of hearts, and most of all, the two cute little pigtails-

"Argh! This is wrong, damn it!" In his frustration, Harima forgot that he was in the library and had it not been at least twenty people trying to hush him (as well as a curious Tenma looking up from her books); he would have glared at them until they withered. Instead, he propped a book up on the table unceremoniously to cover his face, effectively hiding his embarrassment in turn.

"What the hell are you doing, Hige?"

"Geh!" This time, with Tenma's attention safely back onto the texts before her, Harima turned to give his best glare at the person who dared to interrupt him. "How dare-Oh, it's only you."

"What's with that tone? Geez..." Sawachika Eri looked at him with a raised eyebrow, an irritated expression on her face. "And I was actually worried about how you might be feeling..."

"What?"

She blushed as though it was her second nature to do so whenever talking to him. "N-Nothing! I was just wondering what you would be doing in the library."

Harima scoffed. "Isn't it obvious? I'm studying for the upcoming test. Geez...Spring is really wasted on studying..."

"Studying? You know, Hige, I'd thought better of you than to tell me such a weak lie."

"What?"

Eri pointed at the book he was holding. "It's upside down. I didn't know you possess the special ability to read words which are upside down." She added cheekily, to which Harima glared and hurriedly righted the book.

"D-Didn't the teachers told us to look from a different perspective of things so as to maximize our learning capabilities and be able to absorb information more effectively?"

"Oh...They did." She smirked. "I'm surprised you're actually paying attention in class."

"Hmph. I always pay attention nowadays." He snorted, feeling strangely proud for something he would not have in the past. It was a terrifying yet interesting notion to him, that somewhere along the long, arduous road to Tsukamoto Tenma; he had fallen several times and changed as a result. It was uncomfortable, yes, but as long as it took him one step closer to the angel in his heart, change was but a small price to pay.

"Hey...Hey, Hige! Could you at least listen while I'm talking to you?"

Harima knew he should have snapped back at her automatically, but surprisingly chose not to. Aside from the dwindling number of their run-ins, he had to admit that the Ojou had helped him quite a bit on several occasions.

_These are indeed strange times..._He frowned and turned to look at her, his shades hiding anything that might betray any kind of emotion shown in his eyes. "Yeah, yeah...I was thinking about something. So what was it that you were saying?"

Eri sighed. It was at times like this where she wondered for the umpteenth time why exactly had she came to even like anything about the man sitting in front of her. "I was just wondering if...if..."

"If what, woman?" He was staring at Tenma again, wondering how she still managed to look so good despite all the devilish books around her.

"I was wondering if I could study with you..."

"Eh?" the tone of his voice and the raised eyebrows betrayed what Harima felt about that suggestion. He turned, putting Tenma aside only for the moment in his mind and looked hard at the blonde girl shuffling her feet in front of him.

"Y-You heard what I said! I was just thinking if you might need some help in some of the subjects that you were less proficient in..."

He pulled down his shades slightly too look at her as though he was seeing an entirely new species in Sawachika Eri for the first time. Her face seemed to turn slightly redder than that when their gazes locked, but it was probably his imagination playing tricks with him.

"...You want to study with me."

"Yeah, well, I thought it would be more...productive if we can put a few minds together regarding the subject. Either one of us could have missed out some details..."

"Uh huh."

Eri frowned, caught between frustration and embarrassment, at the same time unable to take her eyes away from his, most of it due to curiosity. She hardly ever gets a good look at his eyes before, and admittedly thought they complemented his build and perhaps the better part of his personality. "Is it so hard to believe that of all people, I would be the one who wants to have anything to do with you in regards to studying?"

Harima propped his shades back up onto the bridge of his nose and Eri made a small, disappointed sigh that would have sounded noncommittal to anyone who did not understand what it was for.

Unfortunately for Eri, Harima happened to be within that group of people.

"Don't you usually hang out together with the three of them? Tsukamoto, Takano and Suou." He stretched, yawning as he did so. No matter how much he tried, even Harima himself knew that there was no way he could sit through half an hour of drowning in words without feeling any kind of fatigue, not unless he was desperate for acceptable grades.

"I just thought cramming with someone...new could allow me to look at things with a different perspective." Trying not to glare at him and resisting an urge to stomp on his foot for his nonchalance, Eri continued to look expectantly at him. If it had not been for Mikoto's stupid advice and her 'sudden' departure from class right after lessons were over, she would probably have never undertaken this.

_Maybe I should just give up-_

"...Where are your books?"

"Eh?!" Her eyes widened in complete surprise, remembering just in time to bow sheepishly to the couple of librarians who glared at her for failing to observe the most basic, unwritten rule in a library. "Do you mean-"

Harima frowned with annoyance, but wondered why the feeling failed to keep up as it always did. He WAS getting soft, after all. "Just bring them out before I change my mind."

It wasn't really the best start Eri hoped for, but it still was a beginning. Bringing out the few textbooks on the subjects she had proposed mentally to study, she began to wonder at the irony of what had happened in her life ever since Harima Kenji entered their class-and her life.

_This must be what my suitors felt like..._ She thought with amusement at her own expense, and then lightly chided herself for drifting off into her own thoughts again. She had always been confident about the more practical subjects, which included the sciences and mathematics, but when it came to language (save for English, where she probably wouldn't even need to touch any study material on that) and things that required a little more diligence and creativity. Art was, she admitted begrudgingly, one of the few subjects that that one person on her mind-and in front of her- would always best her in. And there was Japanese history too...

Finally making a decision, Eri took out the Japanese literature textbook with a half-concealed pained expression on her face. It was the best she could do to hide the fact that she was actually poor in that subject and had it not been for Akira, she would most probably be drowning in the dredges of failure. She froze as Harima briefly glanced at her, as though the least bit curious about what she had taken out, but sighed in relief (and with an ever present pinch of disappointment) when he turned back and apparently began to start studying again, murmuring to himself like a scholar would while researching a particularly difficult subject.

* * *

On the other hand, Tenma was literally buried in her own world with the words on the pages before her. It felt as though the world around her had stopped, and only the words meant anything at all to her, in this moment where she wished it could be forever. 

As she propped up the book, any curious onlooker would have seen the title "The Ultimate Curry Cookbook: 4th edition" written in neat, orange letters on the cover just above a tantalizingly realistic plate of curry rice topped with seasoning and succulent slices of beef, which was hardly excellent reference material for the upcoming tests, consisting mostly of science and arts subjects.

_Hmm…Which one should I practice cooking? Maybe I should go for conventional..._ Her eyes rested upon the curry rice picture, before shifting hastily to the next picture of the orange gravy covering something that looked suspiciously like overcooked haggis. _Or would Karasuma-kun like something a little more...interesting?_

"What are you doing?" Tenma jumped. So engrossed was she in her selection of the finer dishes shown in the book itself that she failed to notice Takano Akira and Suou Mikoto right behind her, the former looking ever so nonchalant.

"It's nothing!" She grinned, pulling the Physics reference book over what she had been looking at an instant before in one swift motion and proceeded to greet them with an exaggerated frown. "You're late."

"Sorry about that. We had a few things to take care of." If Akira knew what Tenma had been trying to hide, she gave nothing away. "How's revision coming along?" She peered at the clean pages of the topic Tenma had flipped to, unblinking. "Don't you usually highlight the important points? I thought you would have done some studying by now..."

"I-I was waiting for you guys! There are plenty of things I don't understand by myself, so..." She gave a look of pleading to Mikoto, who caught on almost immediately and placed a somewhat restraining hand on the shoulder of her curious friend.

"That was pretty kind of you...Speaking of which isn't that Eri?" She pointed across and the two of them turned, watching a pretty blonde with twin pigtails revising with a seemingly permanent frown etched on her face. Sitting across her was a familiar student, hunched over his own pile of misery and muttering to himself like a madman. Three pairs of eyebrows shot up into their respective fringes. "What is she doing?"

"Studying, apparently."

"Let's get them both to join us then! Oi-" Tenma's call was cut short by a hand clamped onto her mouth. Looking questioningly at Mikoto, she followed the direction to where the latter pointed-at a prominent sign stuck onto a pillar-and nodded sheepishly.

"But it's surprising, isn't it? That it almost actually seem as though the rumors about the two of them being together are true, even though either party denies it. It's just like what you see in the newspapers about those celebrity couples, isn't it?" Mikoto grinned, though it wouldn't take the cheery expression on her face to tell her friends that she was joking. She had a few clashes with Eri in the past, but none of them damning enough to damage their relationship as friends permanently.

"...Anyone up for studying now?" Akira asked quietly, and Tenma could swear seeing a ghost of a smile on her face when neither she nor Mikoto acknowledged. "Then it's time for a little observation."

* * *

"Ne..." 

"Hmm?" Harima replied without looking up. Somehow he had just attained focus on several important formulas for Physics and felt somewhat annoyed at Sawachika Eri for seemingly having an innate gift to disturb him at the most crucial times.

"Why do you take Art?"

Harima looked up, caught almost entirely off-guard by her question that seemed as though it came out of the blue. "What? Why do you ask?"

"Well..."

_That's because I want to know so much more about you..._

"I thought it would be interesting to see it from an Art student's perspective of the subject, since many think it a dead end to career choices."

Harima stopped whatever he was doing and looked at her. It wasn't a first that he had smelled the tiniest vestiges of concern coming from her, but he suppose any decent human being would do that, even for a person that's fated to cross paths of bad luck with you. Aside from that, he had never really given his future any thought and had to admit he was rather surprised at her question for a while.

"Are you planning on becoming an artist or something like that?"

"Well...I guess you could say that." Harima scratched his chin as though he was thinking deeply about that option. Lying about his other life as a manga artist had almost became second nature to him. He had little doubt the Ojou in front of him would have laughed her head off if she had indeed found out about it.

Eri could hardly believe her luck. She was actually having one of those rare conversations with Harima Kenji where civility was the central theme of their interactions, if it ever was before. "I never thought...You of all people-"

"Is it that surprising?" He almost bristled at that comment, but held his temper in check. If he could not even endure something as minute as this, there was no way he will be good enough for his Tenma-chan.

"I didn't mean it that way!" Eri exclaimed, laughing nervously. It didn't take a sage to realize that Harima was offended in some way. "What I wanted to say was no one would really envision you as an artist. You would be more suited to some other jobs."

"...I suppose so." He replied, satisfied. _All thanks to the image._

"At least that's what your image seems to tell others. Looks can be deceiving." Eri continued, breathing a mental sigh of relief that they were not going down THAT familiar route again.

_Geh! How did she read my mind?_ "I suppose so." Glancing at Eri's doodle-filled literature texts and his own, he frowned and pulled slightly away from her and providing some cover for his own book with a possessive arm. It was an action that did not went unnoticed.

"What are you hiding?" An overwhelming curiosity overcame her and she leaned over to peek.

"It's nothing!"

"Come on! Would it hurt to let me see? It's just notes, after all..."

"It's not just notes-" He froze, seeing a sly, devilish smile appearing on her lips and realized too late that he had fallen into the trap. "Okay, it's just notes! Get away, Ojou! This isn't any of your business!"

"Come on, Hige. It wouldn't hurt, would it?" She stood up and reached over, prompting Harima to shrink back even more from her in an attempt to hide his own doodles of a different kind.

"Just a peek-"

"No, no and no, Ojou! Get off my case!" He growled as she reached even closer and grappled with her, not realizing that she was off balance when he grabbed her forearm.

"Ah-"

With a resounding crash that might as well have deafened every living thing in the vicinity, the blonde landed on top of the bearded, although not before she caught a glimpse of what seemed like two short pigtails on the simple yet detailed portrait missing the facial features on his book.

Surprise was the first thing both could register in each other's eyes, as they coincidentally met. Neither could recall what might have happened to cause them to land in one of those awkwardly familiar situations. It was a surprise that turned to embarrassment to Eri as she turned away first, especially with the fact that the person she was on top of had his shades conveniently thrown off the bridges of his nose.

_Mmm...He does have nice eyes. Imagery sure can do wonders, good or bad..._

"...Oi, Ojou."

"Y-Yes?"

"You mind getting off me?" He grunted, hiding a twinge of discomfiture on his part. "...You're heavy."

She felt as though something snapping inside her. "Okay, then." Getting up with a nonchalant expression, she delivered a pinpoint kick to his head with the same look on her face and he spun after the impact resounded with a sound akin to that of a ball being kicked in the center.

Hard.

Harima's body flew at a surprised Ichijou Karen, who reacted instinctively, grabbing the 'projectile' hurled at her and slamming him across the corridor outside, her eyes widening only in realization and embarrassment at what she had really thrown as Harima Kenji, miniature soccer ball and wrestling dummy rolled several times before he stopped.

"I'm sorry! I'm so sorry! Harima-san, are you all right?" She exclaimed at the now slumped form of the victim of a new variation of the Shining Wizard. So distraught was she that she had not even noticed that his body was actually propped up against a pair of slender legs.

"He'll be fine, all right." Eri grunted, somehow annoyed and frustrated at herself at the same time.

_Why can't I just be like Karen and show a little bit more concern? What's wrong with me, lashing out like that?_ "You really ought to be more careful, flying into people's paths like that."

_Stop it!_

"Eh...?"

_That voice...Of all people..._Eri looked up, an inexplicable sense of foreboding slowly twisting her gut like a wrench to a nut.

Golden met crimson.

The nut screwed tightly into its bolt of finality, as though her judgement was being passed.

Tsukamoto Yakumo blinked. "Sawachika senpai?" Looking down, it seemed certain as though that single movement seemed to turn the atmosphere just a little bit uncomfortable. "Harima...-kun?"

"What's going on?"

Author's note: I know I'm a bastard, because I could most certainly do better than this. Don't worry...I haven't forgotten Akira and Mikoto. They will come into the bigger picture soon. Yes, this is a cliffhanger, and no, my schedule isn't so tight anymore, and I've at least gotten a grasp of where my priorities lie. Hopefully it means I will have more time and space to think and plan for my fan fictions before trying an original one on my own. To those who have yet to forget little ol' me, thanks for reading. Anyway, do Read and Review people, so that I can improve as much as I can again. Thanks very much. Till then, people.


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